1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to trigger sprayer valves and more particularly to inlet and discharge valves used with trigger sprayers, including improved pre-compression discharge valves.
2. State of the Art
Trigger sprayers are well known and are commonly used as delivery devices to deliver a product, such as a liquid, from a container to a surface or an area in which the product is desired. For example, trigger sprayers may be used to apply cleaning agents to hard surfaces or to deliver air freshener to a volume of air. The use and applications for such devices are well known.
A conventional trigger sprayer typically includes a valve body having an inlet and an outlet. A pump chamber may be formed in the valve body and a piston may be seated in the pump chamber and moveable therein to alter the volume of the pump chamber. A piston is typically attached to a trigger and the trigger, piston, or both trigger and piston may be biased by a spring. An inlet valve in communication with the valve body inlet and the pump chamber regulates the flow of product into the pump chamber. Similarly, an outlet valve seated between the pump chamber and the valve body outlet regulates flow of a product out of the pump chamber and through the valve body outlet. The valve body may be attached to or in communication with a container holding a product. The connection may be made with a closure system such as a bayonet system integrated with the valve body or a screw connection mated with the valve body as known in the art.
Examples of trigger sprayers are illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,900, U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,056 and PCT Publication WO2010124040, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
While there are numerous trigger sprayer designs available in the market, improvements and new designs are continually being developed. For example, new all-plastic designs may be desirable so that the trigger sprayer may be easily recycled. New designs may also offer improved economics or reduced material weight and part counts. In other instances, it may be desirable for a trigger sprayer to include a pre-compression feature which allows for the build-up of pressure prior to the release of a product through an outlet valve such that the pressure build-up is such that a sufficient force is applied to the product being dispensed to create a desired spray pattern or to achieve finer particle sizes upon dispensing. Pre-compression systems may also be desirable for other reasons. An example of a pre-compression valve system for a trigger sprayer is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,900. Improvements in such pre-compression valves may enhance the performance or user acceptance of a trigger sprayer.
In still other instances, it may be desirable to have a trigger sprayer valve body design which may be fitted with either a pre-compression valve system for those applications desiring pre-compression or a non-pre-compression valve system for use when pre-compression is not desired.